


Carried Away

by Abyssinia



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-01-09
Updated: 2005-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-02 22:13:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abyssinia/pseuds/Abyssinia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Luz and Malarkey don't like to talk about never being hit, but he's dedicated his life to tempting fate.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Carried Away

He used to climb trees - reached higher and higher to branches that bent and groaned under his weight. Often his sister would stand at the bottom and shriek for him to come down but he only laughed into the wind, arms spread like eagle's wings. He loved this power of surrender, the adrenaline-thrill of putting god and nature and luck in control. Sometimes a branch would break and he'd come home with bumps or bruises or cuts and once a broken arm, but he never stopped climbing.

Once, on a bet, he swam across the Niagara, not in a barrel over the falls, but miles upstream where the current is strong enough to topple a grown man. Fritz and his brother followed in a boat, a pretend safety measure they all knew could never save him. Halfway across, tired and caught where the current is strongest, he almost succumbed to the river - let nature envelope him and carry him off. But he fought this once, knew it was too powerful, that he'd lose himself completely. He reached the shore tired, cold, far downstream from where he started, both exhilarated and disappointed. His sister scolded him and told Faye, who also scolded. He only laughed, tousled his sister's hair and swung Faye around before kissing her, losing himself in the feel of her lips, the smell of her hair.

He didn't hesitate his first time out a C-47 but flung himself into the air high above Georgia. The first five seconds he almost laughed in joy at the ecstasy of freedom he'd refused from the river. His chute opened and pulled him back into himself, brought him safely back to earth. Some of the others were nervous but this is how he lives - falling headfirst into whatever life offers and trusting in god or luck as his parachute.

During shellings, when all they can do is crouch in foxholes and pray, he huddles down and surrenders completely to the noise, the fear - letting the pure awesomeness of it all carry him away. And each time his luck pulls him back safe. Luz and Malarkey don't like to talk about never being hit, but he's dedicated his life to tempting fate.

This shelling is impressive in both its unexpectedness and its intensity. The flashes, the concussive noise, the fear-soaked adrenaline in his veins all pull at him stronger even than the current of the Niagara. He yearns to yield, but fights it harder than he fought that water. George Luz is out there, caught stumbling, falling, crawling in the open and he is shouting for Luz to reach the safety of his foxhole. Shouting for Luz to be safe so he can immerse himself in the world.  
As Luz draws closer he is still shouting.  
He is shou


End file.
